The controversial anti-gay bill, officially known as the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill 2025, has returned to Parliament after the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, ruled that it complies with constitutional and procedural requirements.
Delivering an official statement to the House on Tuesday, the Speaker said a review of the report of the Committee on Private Members’ Bills and Motions showed that the Bill does not impose or alter taxation or place any charge on the Consolidated Fund.
“The bill has gone through all the processes in accordance with the Standing Orders of the House. I therefore direct that the Bill be scheduled for consideration,” Mr. Bagbin stated.
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He explained that under Order 187, Sub-Rule 2 of the Standing Orders, the Speaker is required to communicate to the House whether a private member’s bill complies with Article 108 of the 1992 Constitution.
The Anti-gay Bill was first introduced in August 2021 as the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill 2021. It was passed by the Eighth Parliament on February 28, 2024, but did not receive presidential assent before Parliament was dissolved.
Following the inauguration of the Ninth Parliament in 2025, Mr. Bagbin referred the Bill to the Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice for review. The Attorney-General’s comments, submitted on April 7, 2025, were forwarded to the sponsors. In February 2025, the sponsors also formally indicated their intention to reintroduce the anti-gay bill.
A legal opinion dated March 7, 2025, was submitted under Standing Order 182, alongside a fiscal impact analysis in line with the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921).
The Committee on Private Members’ Bills and Motions was subsequently tasked to reassess the bill’s compliance with constitutional provisions.
After its review, the Committee found that the Bill maintains its core principles and objectives, does not contravene Articles 106 and 108 of the Constitution, and does not impose taxes or charges on public funds. It therefore unanimously recommended that the bill be introduced in Parliament.
“The Committee, by a unanimous decision, advised that the Bill be introduced in the House,” Mr. Bagbin disclosed.
The Speaker also cautioned Members of Parliament against misleading the public on the status of the Bill.
“Without much information, you mislead a lot of people. This is the state of the bill, and we go through our Standing Orders,” he warned, urging MPs to convey accurate information to their constituents.
The Speaker also cleared the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana Amendment Bill 2025 for parliamentary consideration.
The bill was originally introduced in 2021 by the Member of Parliament for Akyem Swedru, Kennedy Osei Nyarko, and had passed second reading in the Eighth Parliament before lapsing due to dissolution.
Mr. Bagbin explained that the Bill had undergone the required legal and fiscal assessments and was reviewed by the Committee on Private Members’ Bills and Motions, which unanimously recommended its introduction.
“I have carefully considered the report of the Committee and have formed the view that the bill does not impose or alter any taxation, nor does it create a charge on the Consolidated Fund,” he stated.
He therefore directed the Business Committee to schedule both the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill and the Constitution Amendment Bill for presentation and debate.
Calling on Members to study the bills carefully, the Speaker stressed that they would not be rushed through Parliament.
“These are two critical bills for the consideration of this House. We take our time to go through them. They will not be rushed through, and at the end of the day, we will be addressing the interests of the people we represent,” he said